. 


DEPOSITORY 


r.ssued   | 


U.S.  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE, 

BUREAU  OF  PLANT  INDUSTRY— Circular  No.  25. 
B.  T.  GALLOWAY,  Chief  of  Bureau. 


THE  COST  OF  CLEARING   LOGGED-OFF  LAM) 

FOE  FARMING  IN  THE  PACIFIC 

NORTHWEST. 


KARRI    THOMPSON, 
Ixpeut,  Office  of  K\i:m   Management. 


NGTON   :  GOVCHNUENT    PH.NTINQ  OFFICE    !    IS09 


BlREAl     OF    PLANT    INDUSTRY. 

Pn  siologist  and  Pathologist,  and  Chief  of  Bureau,  Beverly  T.  Galloway. 
:    .  iologist  and  Pathologist,  and  Assistant  Chief  of  Bureau,  Uteri  F.Woods. 
/  iboratory  of  Plant  Pathology,  Erwin  F.  Smith,  Pathologist  in  Charge. 
Fruit  Diseast  Investigations,  Merton  B.  Waite.  Pathologist  i  1  Charge. 
Investigations  in  Forest  Pathology,  Haven  Metcalf,  Pathologist  in  charge. 
Cott  m  ■ind  Truck  Diseases  and  Plant  Disease  Survey,  William  A.  Orton,  Pathologist  in  Charge 
Pathological  Collections  and  Inspection   Mori:,  Flora  W.  Patterson.  Mycologist  in  Charge. 
I'l  mi  I, /li  History  Investigations,  Walter  T.  Swingle,  Physiologist  in  Charge. 

CMon  Breeding  Investigations,  Archibald  D.  Shamel  and  Daniel  X.  Shoemaker.  Physiologists  in  Charge. 
Ti.bacco  Investigations,  Archibald  D.  Shamel,  Wightman  W.  Garner,  and  Ernest  II.  Mathewson,  in  Charge. 
Corn  Investigations,  Charles  P.  Hartley.  Physiologist  in  Charge. 

Alkali  and  Drought  Resistant  Plant  Breeding  Investigations,  Thomas  II.  Kearney.  Physiologist  in  Charge. 
Soil  Bacteriology  and  Water  Purification  Investigations,  Karl  I".  kellerman.  Physiologist  in  Charge. 
Bionomic  Investigations  oi   Tropical  and  Subtropical  Plants,  Orator  F.  Cook,  Bionomist  in  Charge. 
Drug  and  Poisonous  I'l  nit  and  Tin  Culturt  Investigations,  Rodney  II.  True,  Physiologist  in  Charge. 
Physical  Laboratory,  Lyman  J.  Briggs,  Physicist  in  Charge. 
I  <n  ienliural  Technology,  Nathan  A.  Cobb,  Crop  Technologist  in  Charge. 
Taxonomic  and  Range  Investigations,  Frederick  V.  Coyille,  Botanist  in  Charge. 
Farm   Management,  William  .1.  Spillman,  Agriculturist  in  Charge. 
Grain  Investigations,  Mark  Alfred  Carleton,  Cerealist  in  Charge. 

Arlington  Experimental  Farm  ami  Horticultural  Investigations,  Lee  C.  Corbett,  Horticulturist  in  charge. 
Vegetable  Testing  Gardens,  William  W.  Tracy,  sr.,  Superintendent. 
Sugar-Put  Investigations,  Charles  i ».  Townsend,  Pathologist  in  Charge. 
Western  Agricultural  Extension,  Carl  S.  Scofield,  Agriculturist  in  Charge. 
Dry-LandAgri  ulturt  Investigations,  E.  Charming  Chilcott,  Agriculturist  in  Charge. 
Pomological  Collections,  Gustavus  B.  Bracked,  Pomologist  in  Charge. 

Field  Investigations  in  Pomology,  William  A.  Taylor  and  G.  Harold  Powell,  Pomologists  in  charge. 
Experimental  Gardens  and  Grounds  Edward  M.  Byrnes.  Superintendent. 
Foreign  Seed  and  Plant  Introduction,  David  Fairchild,  Agricultural  Explorer  in  Charge. 
Forage  Crop  Investigations,  Charles  V.  Piper,  Agrostologisl  in  Charge. 
Seed  Laboratory,  Edgar  Brown,  Botanist  in  Charge. 
Grain  standardization,  John  D.  Shanahan,  Crop  Technologist  in  Charge. 
Subtropical  Garden,  Miami.  I- la.,  P.  J.  Wester,  in  Charge. 

Plant  Introduction  Garden,  Chico,  ''«/.,  W.  W.  Tracy,  jr.,  Assistant  Botanist  in  Charge. 
South  Texas  Garden,  Brownsvillt .  Tex.,  Edward  C.  Green,  Pomologist  in  Charge. 
Farmers'  Cooperalivt  Demonstration  Work,  Seaman  A.  Knapp,  Special  Agent  in  Charge. 
Seed  Distribution  <  Directed  by  chief  of  Bureau).  Lisle  Morrison.  Assistant  in  General  charge. 


Editor,  .1.  E.  Rockv  i 

(  imi  <  'nk.  James  E.  Jones. 


B    I' 


COS 
FAR 


r  OF  CLEARING  LOGGED-OFF  LAM) 
MING  l\  TIN-:  PACIFIC  NORTHWEST. 


•OR 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  rapid  decrease  of  merchantable  timber  and  the  consequent 
increasing  acreage  of  logged-off  land  have  broughl  to  the  attention  of 
i  he  people  of  the  Pacific  Northwest  the  importance  of  the  agricull  ura  1 
development  of  this  section  of  the  United  States. 


Fig.  1. — Lo  er  and  sowed  to  oats  in  spring.    Estimated  crop, 

7")   bl] 

In  order  to  make  this  land  suitable  for  agricultural  purposes  it 
must  be  cleared  for  the  plow.  To  do  this  the  standing  timber,  the 
logs,  the  underbrush,  and  the  stumps  must  be  removed.     (See  fig.  1. 


'  Much  of  the  farming  in  this  country  is  don,'  upon  land  formerly  occupied  b 

At  various  times  in  ill"  history  of  the  country  information  mi  this  Bubject  has 
been  of  importance  in  almost  The  main  body  of  forest  land  which  has 

□  put  into  cultivation  was  cleared  off  many  years  before  there  were  agricultural 
experiment  stations,  -<>  that  there  have  practically  been  no  in<  estigations  o  acerning 
the  methods  and  cost  oi  r  cleared  land  for  the  plow.     At  thi  time  the 

question  tant  in  several  regions,  and  \  n  abundant  expe 

rience  in  w.irk  of  I  charai  ter  this  experience  has  never  been  recorded  and  is  not 
available  now  to  those  engaged  in  clearing  land  for  agriculture.  During  the  past 
Bummci  ill''  Department  employed  Mr.  'I' hump-  p  so  far  as  possible  all  the 

information  available  from  the  expe  ieni  e  of  th  •■<■  who  have  in  recent  years  put  into 
cultivation  logged-off  land  in  th"  Pacific  Northwest.     Tl  ir  is  a  summary  of 

thf  information  th  led.     As  the  demand  for  this  information  is  urgent,  ii  i^ 

thought  best  to  publish  it  in  the  form  of  a  circulaj       B    I    Galloway,  PI  '.and 

Patho 

3 


4  i  (1ST    OF    CLEABTNG    LOGGED-OFF    LAND    FOE    FARMING. 

A  preliminary  investigation  of  the  situation  was  mad:'  during  the 
summer  of  1908  to  determine  the  extent  of  the  logged-off  land,  the 
methods  in  use  at  the  present  time,  and  as  nearly  as  possible  the  cost 
of  clearing  by  the  different  methods  used.  Xo  experiments  were 
undertaken,  and  consequently  no  definite  figures  can  he  given  in 
regard  to  the  cost  ofclearing  by  the  different  methods  in  use  except 
as  given  by  contractors  and  owners  who  had  kept  the  cost  of  clearing 
separate  from  other  expenses.  The  territory  covered  in  this  investi- 
gation embraces  western  Washington,  western  Oregon,  and  northern 
California. 

THE  EXTENT  OF  LOGGED-OFF  LAND. 

In  the  State  of  Washington  the  18  counties  west  of  the  Cascade 
Mountains  have  a  total  area  of  8,700,000  acres  of  assessed  land,  as 


Fig  2. — Stump  pasture  land. 

given  by  the  various  assessors  of  the  respective  counties.  ()l  this. 
129,000  acres  are  in  cultivation  or  improved  pasture.  5,034,000  acres 
in  standing  merchantable  timber,  and  2,352,000  in  logged-off  land. 
From  this  it  will  be  seen  that  27  per  cent  of  the  total  acreage  is  logged- 
off  land  and  thai  the  acreage  in  cultivation,  much  of  which  is  pasture 
land  from  which  the  large  stumps  have  not  been  removed  (fig.  2),  is 
only  .".  per  cent  of  the  whole  area.  Table  1  shows  the  acreages  for 
acb  <)!'  t  hese  !  8  count  ies. 


COS1]    OF   CLEARING    LOGGED-OF]     LAND    FOB    FARMING 


Tabli    I      Counties  Washington,   showing  tht    a  on,    in 

limber,  and  in  logged-off  land. 


u  ly. 

ige  in 
merchant- 
able timber. 

500,000 
8,013 

'.mip.:' 11 

413.041 

10,000 
291,200 

Ail 

■I  olT. 

'..'.■  in 
cultivation. 

11,216 
11,784 
51,  570 

4,657 

27,915 
4,000 
15,605 

Total 

acre  i 

807, 432 

0 
Til  ,000 

1,243,000 

224,771 
884,050 

1    ■ 



- 
1  ■".->.  r.4  * 

suitable 
culture. 

112,748 

25,000 

59,  127 
I  ii  000 
171,364 

62,720 
150,000 
80,000 

1 

120,000 

-    o 

10 

75 

(  larkc 

7.") 
7."» 

|| 

. 

75 

Wahkiakum 

60 

Total.. 

9 

2,352,109 

128,829 

8,700     -- 

The  timber  lands  in  western  Oregon  and  northern  California  are  not 
nearly  so  accessible  ms  those  of  western  Washington.  Neither  is  there 
nearly  so  much  logged-off  hind,  nor  is  this  land  so  well  adapted  for 
agricultural  purposes  a-~  thai  in  Washington.  While  the  demand  for 
farm  hind  in  Oregon  and  California  is  well  supplied  by  prairie  and 
easily  cleared  brush  land,  the  necessity  lor  reclaiming  the  logged-off 
land  iii  these  States  i>  not  pressing.  On  the  other  hand,  western 
Washington  has  hut  few  valleys  thai  were  not  heavily  timbered  at  one 
time,  and  the  demand  lot-  agricultural  products  far  exceeds  the  local 
supply.  Consequently,  the  demand  For  farm  land  and  the  idle 
wastes  of  cut-over  land  has  broughl  the  question  of  clearing  this  land 
squareh  before  the  people.  The  character  of  the  clearing  ran] 
from  the  heavily  timbered  spruce  ami  cedar  lowlands  through  the 
benches  and  side  hills  covered  with  fir  stumps  and  a  dense  groA*  t  h  of 
underbrush  to  the  more   sparsely  covered  hemlock  ridges. 

The  spruce  stump  is  thoughl  to  he  the  most  expensive  to  remove, 
owing  to  the  fact  that  it  is  found  only  on  the  deepesl  soil,  where  it 
roots  deeply,  it  often  requiring  a  box  (50  pounds)  of  stumping  powder 
to  loosen  a  single  stump  .">  feet  in  diameter. 

The  fir  stump  i^  the  predominating  stump  of  all  logged-off  lands  in 
Washington  and  Oregon,  and  is  removed  by  various  methods  described 
below. 

The  cedar  grows  to  some  extent  wherever  the  lir  is  found  ami  pre- 
dominates I'll  low  ground. 

All  of  the  above  trees  have  lateral  rout  systems  and  do  not  root 
deepiN  except  in  loose  or  sand}  soil,  where  the  roots  penetrate  to  a 
depth  of  m-\  era  I  feet.  On  flooded  or  swanipy  hind  the  roots  are  often 
partly  abos  e  t  he  surface. 


6  COST    OF    CLEARING    LOGGED-OFF    LAND    FOB    FARMING. 

In  the  logged-off  lands  of  the  redwood  district  of  northern  Cali- 
fornia there  has  been  little  effort  made  to  clear  the  land  for  agri- 
cultural purposes,  since  prairie  land  is  plentiful  and  the  logged-off 
land  is  rough  and  hilly. 

Some  attempts  have  been  made  to  clear  the  land  of  everything  but 
the  stumps  and  then  to  seed  to  orchard  grass  for  cattle  range.  This 
work  of  clearing  has  been  done  for  $10  per  acre.  This  method  of 
making  range  has  proved  a  failure  in  most  cases,  as  the  great  quantity 
of  brush  and  the  sucker  growth  of  the  redwood  stumps  have  almost 
entirely  covered  the  ground  in  two  or  three  years. 

It  is  estimated  that  the  logged-off  land  of  California  can  be  reclaimed 
at  about  the  same  expense  as  the  fir-stump  land  of  Oregon  and 
Washington. 

Most  of  the  clearing  that  has  been  done  in  Oregon  was  done  by 
cheap  labor  until  recent  years.  The  donkey-engine  method  has  been 
used  in  some  sections  of  the  State  recently. 

HAND  METHOD  OF  CLEARING  LOGGED-OFF  LAND. 

Until  recent  years  clearing  was  almost  wholly  done  by  what  is 
now  known  as  the  "by-hand"  method,  where  the  farmer,  equipped 
with  peavey,  mattock,  shovel,  and  ax,  undertook  to  put  under  cul- 
tivation the  logger's  stubble  field.  By  this  method  the  standing 
trees  and  brush  were  slashed,  generally  during  the  summer  months. 
Then,  in  September  or  October,  after  the  first  rainfall  or  when  there 
was  no  danger  to  neighboring  improvements  or  timber,  a  fire  was 
started  and  allowed  to  burn  over  the  entire  slashing,  when  most  of 
the  brush  and  small  logs  were  burned  completely.  The  remaining 
logs  were  sawed  into  convenient  lengths,  piled,  and  burned.  After 
the  rains  had  softened  the  ground  sufficiently  the  smaller  stumps 
and  roots  were  grubbed  and  pulled  out.  Often  a  stump  puller  of 
the  capstan  type  was  used  in  pulling  the  smaller  stumps  after  they 
had  been  loosened  by  digging  around  them. 

This  type  of  stump  puller  is  often  used  in  clearing  small  tracts 
after  the  stumps  have  been  broken  into  several  pieces  and  loosened 
by  the  use  of  stumping  powder,  without  which  no  clearing  is  under- 
taken in  the  present  day.  The  stump  puller  should  be  of  simple  con- 
struction, strongly  built.  It  generally  consists  of  a  drum,  a  wire 
cable,  and  a  sweep  to  which  a  team  is  hitched.  Powder  has  been 
used  in  all  clearing  operations  for  several  years,  and  all  methods, 
except,  that  of  burning  the  stumps  below  the  plow,  are  dependent 
upon  it  to  loosen  the  si  umps  so  ( hat  they  may  be  taken  out.  It  is  said 
thai  a  cheap  explosive  that  would  do  this  work  would  go  a  long  way 
toward  solving  the  problem  of  reclaiming  the  logged-off  land. 


OF    CLEARING    LOGGED-OF]     LAND    FOR    FAHAJ IXG. 


DONKEY-ENGINE    METHOD   OF   CLEARING   LOGGED-OFF   LAND. 

Some  six  or  seven  years  ago  when  logs  were  clown  in  the  market 
and  many  logging  outfits  were  idle,  an  enterprising  logger  took  .. 
(  out  racl  for  pull- 
ing the  stumps 
from  a  meadow. 
He  conceived  the 
idea  of  using  his 
donkej  engine 
with  its  outfit  of 
blocks  and  cables 
to  pull  and  pile  i he 
si  umps  for  burning 
Since  that 
time  many  such 
outfits  have  been 
engaged  «  it  h  vary- 
ing success  in  clear- 
ing land.  The 
usual  method  is  to 
slash  and  burnover 
the  trad  to  be 
cleared,  in  order  to 
burn  all  the  under- 
brush and  as  many 
small  logs  as  pos- 
sible 

T  li  en     all     t  h  e 

st  umps  more  than 
1  foot  in  diameter  are  split  and  loosened  by  a  charge  of  st umping pow 
derof  from  five  to  twenty  st  icks,  according  to  size.     A  charge  of  twenty 
1  I -inch  h\  8-inch  sticks  v  ill  generally  split  a5-foo1  stump  into  five  pieces 


and  loosen  it  so  that  an  en  -  pull  the  pieces  from  the  ground. 

\     in  pule  is  now   set   in  the  center  of  a  trad  of  8  or  10  acres  and 
held  in  place  by  four  guy  lit  top        see         I        This    i 


-I     OF    <  LEAKING    I.OGGED-OFF    LAND    FOR   FARMING 


should  be  60  feet  or  more  above  the  ground.  A  block  is  fixed  se- 
curely near  the  top  of  the  gin  pole,  through  which  is  passed  the  main 
cable  from  the  engine.  This  cable  has  the  usual  hook,  ring,  and 
swivels  at  the  end,  and  is  usually  1   inch  or  1|  inches  in  diameter. 

The  haul-back  cable,  which  is  usually  §  inch  in  diameter,  is  now 
taken  to  a  lead  block  and  passed  around  three  sides  of  one-fourth  of 
the  tract  to  be  cleared  at  this  setting  of  the  gin  pole  (see  fig.  5),  and 

'ew  pos/r/ows  or  hb  block  P~ 

c    5/b"mui Back cable 


Fig.  5.— Diagram  showing  position  of  donkey  engini ig  for  clearing  a  10-acre  tract. 

!i.l  hooked  into  the  ling  of  the  main  cable,  thus  forming  an  end- 
less cable  with  die  engini — one  that  will  run  in  either  direction  to  or 
fron  in  pole. 

In  some  cases,  where  the  engine  is  built  with  the  haul-back-cable 
drum  above  the  main-cable  drum,  ii  is  better  to  fasten  the  block  for 

aain  cable  about  5  feet  from  the  top  of  the  pole  and  run  the 
haul-back  cable  through  a  block  on  top  of  the  pole.  The  haul-back 
drum  is  usually  geared  to  run  much  faster  than  the  main-cable  drum. 


COS!    OF  CLEARING    LOGG Fl     LAND    FOR    FARMING. 


9 


Each  outfit  should  have  on  hand  at  least  four  chokers  and  a  sup- 
ply of  lead  lines  and  extra  blocks.  A  choker  is  a  section  of  cable 
from  20  to  30  feet   in  length,  with  a  loop  in  one  end  and  a  choker 

hook  oh  the  other. 

The  choker  is  passed  around  the  -tump  and  hooked  upon  itself. 
The  loop  is  then  caught  in  the  hook  of  the  main  cable,  and  the  load 
is  ready  to  go  to  the  pile. 

While  this  load  is  going  to  the  pile  another  is  made  ready,  so  that 
there  is  no  tune  lost.  When  the  cable  returns  with  the  empty 
choker  it  is  loosened  and  another  hooked  into  its  place.  As  the 
loads  come  to  the  gin  pole  they  are  piled  around  it  as  closely  as 
possible  (fig.  6)  by  a  man  on  the  pile. 


I  —Stumps  piled  around  ginpoh  in  clearing  with  donkey  engine. 

This  method,  while  an  economic  success  in  the  hands  of  a  I'ow,  has 
proved  a  costly  method  of  clearing  as  handled  by  many  others.  [f 
everything  is  handled  to  advantage  by  capable,  experienced  men 
this  method  has  many  points  to  its  credit  over  any  other  method  of 
clearing  now  in  use,  the  greatesl  of  which  is  the  saving  of  time.  It 
is  also  cheaper  than  the  "by-hand"  methods  on  large  tract-  of  heavy 
clearing. 

The  question  of  using  a   large  or  small  donke\    engine  has  been 

discussed,  bul   those  who  have  1 n  most   successful  in  clearing  are 

generally  in  favor  of  an  engine  with  sufficient  power  to  take  all  roots 
out  with  a  straighl  pull,  avoiding  the  use  of  blocks.  A  9  by  10  inch 
compound  gear,  or  10  by  12  inch  single  gear,  is  said  to  be  the  best 
size  for  t  his  u  ork. 


10 


COST    OF    CLEARING    LOGGED-OFF    LAND    FOR    FARMING. 


METHODS  OF  BURNING  STUMPS. 


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The  first  method  of  burning  out  fir  stumps  described  below  has 
been  used  by  almost  all  farmers  and  others  who  have  done  any  clear- 
ing in  a  small  way. 

This  method  consists  of  boring  two  intersecting  holes  (see  fig.  7) 
in  the  stump  and  starting  a  fire  at  the  point  of  intersection  by  put- 
ting coals  of  fire  or  a  piece  of  iron  heated  to  a  white  heat  into  the 
upper  auger  hole.  A  window  weight  with  a  wire  fastened  in  the  eve 
makes  a  good  iron  for  this  purpose,  as  it  can  be  taken  out  and  used 
again  and  again. 

Alter  firing,  the  stump  will  not  require  any  attention  until  the  por- 
tion shown  in  figure  7  A  is  burned  out,  as  the  pitch  in  the  stump 
and  the  draft  of  the  air  through  the  holes  will  keep  the  fire  burning. 
Alter  the  upper  portion  of  the  stump  has  been  burned  away,  the  lire 
may  be  kept  up  by  throwing  in  the  bark  and  litter  that  are  always  to 

be  found  near  by. 
By  this  means  the 
main  part  of  the 
stump  is  burned 
away,  leaving  the 
larger  stringers  with 
their  smaller  roots. 
These  may  be  pulled 
out  by  a  team  or 
with  a  stump  puller, 
or  they  may  be  en- 
tirely burned  by 
digging    away    the 

In..  7. — Diagram  snowing  method  of  preparing  a  stump  for  burning.  '  " 

eart  b  and  rolling  a 

small  log  alongside  of  the  root.     This  leaves  hut  few  small  roots  to  be 

grubbed  out  by  hand. 

By  this  method  the  soil  is  hut  little  disturbed,  the  subsoil  i-  not 
scattered  over  the  surface,  and  the  ashes  are  left  where  most  needed. 
This  method  requires  less  leveling  than  where  holes  are  made  by 
the  use  of  powder. 

It  is  said  that  one  man  can  burn  out  thirty  large  stumps  a  week 
by  this  method  and  can  cut  up  and  pile  the  logs  near  by  at  the  same 
time. 

Another  method  of  burning  out  stumps  is  to  split  the  stump  with 
a  small  charge  of  powder,  which  nearly  always  makes  a  large  hole 
underneath  and  around  the  stump.  This  hole  is  then  filled  with 
kindling  and  other  wood  and  fired.  Of  t  he  remaining  roots,  those 
that  lie  near  the  surface  are  grubbed  out,  while  the  others  are  cut 
oil'  to  a  depth  of  from   12  to  18  inches  below  the  surface. 


COST  O]     CLEARING    LOGG F]     LAND    FOE    FARMING. 


1  1 


Charcoaling  or  pitting  stumps,  as  ii  is  called,  is  a  method  of 
burning  out  stumps  thai  has  been  little  used,  bul  where  tried  lias 
pro\  ''il  v  en  efficienl . 

The  bark  should  be  removed  from  the  stumps  in  the  spring  or 
earl}  summer  to  allow  the  outside  of  the  stump  i<>  become  thor- 
oughly  dry.     Often  ii  is  well  to  dig  a  trench  around,  or  to  level  the 

ground  near  the  stump;  then  a  ring  of  \\ I  is  stood  or  piled  closely 

about  the  si p  to  a  height  of  2  feel  and   I   Fool   thick  (see  fig.  8). 

Dry  rotten  wood  <>r  hark  such  as  is  found  in  abundance  on  an\  new 
land  will  answer  the  purpose.  This  is  then  completely  covered  with 
sod  in  a  ilcpili  ..I  several  inches,  excepl  a  small  space  on  the  side 
the  wind  is  blowing  aeainst.     Where  no  sod  is  to  be  found  the  wood 


/(wolin6  to St/ipt /7pe, 


Mote   /111  b/pk  iHOt/io  be 

PEMOVE0  -4NO  STUMP  TPOPOl/GPLY 
OPIED  B£POP£  E/P/MG 


Sod  covep/h6 
12 ' closely  p/leo  wood 

COT  m  LENGTHS 
TO  E/T  STUMP 


-      i  or  ] 

can  Brs1  be  covered  with  a  layer  of  bark,  small  brush,  or  ferns  to 
keep  the  loose  earth  from  sifting  through.  Fine  kindling  is  placed  in 
the  open  space  and  Ore  started  and  allowed  to  burnopenlj  until  the  ring 

id'  w I  is  well  afire;  t  hen  a  piece  of  hark  or  a  bunch  of  ferns  or  grass 

i.s  thrown  over  the  hole  and  the  sod  covering  completed.  The  stump 
must  now  be  closel}  watched  and  the  fire  not  allowed  to  burn  through 
the  covering,  more  sod  being  added  as  needed.  The  whole  secrel  of 
burning  the  stump  completely  is  to  keep  the  covering  intact.  II'  the 
roots  are  kept  well  covered  and  are  re-covered  a-  soon  as  the  earth 
caves,  exposing  them  to  the  air.  they  will  burn  out  completely. 

This  method  i-  \er\  economical  lor  large  stumps.  Small  stumps 
can  be  grubbed  or  pulled  out  t<>  better  advantage.  Alter  ten  days 
it  will  he  found  that  the  stumps  require  very  little  attention. 


12  COST    OF   CLEARING    LOGGED-OFF   LAND    FOB    FARMING. 

The  cost  of  this  method  of  removing  stumps  is  said  to  be  82  each. 
The  disadvantage  of  using  this  method  is  the  time  it  takes,  as  it 
requires  several  weeks  for  a  large  stump  to  burn  out  completely. 

USE    OF   CHEMICALS    IX    BURNING    STUMPS. 

The  treatment  of  stumps  by  boring  holes  into  the  top  and  filling 
them  with  a  strong  solution  of  saltpeter  and  alter  six  months  or  a 
year  saturating  the  stump  with  coal  oil  and  setting  fire  to  it.  when 
it  is  supposed  to  burn  to  the  smallest  root,  has  never  been  tried  to 
any  extent. 

Mr.  K.  0.  Walders,  of  Hamilton,  Wash.,  writes  of  this  method, 
but  does  not  say  to  what  extent  he  has  used  it.  lie  also  recommends 
the  use  of  a  strong  solution  of  vitriol  to  deaden  cottonwood,  maple, 
and  alder  stumps  and  prevent  sprouting. 

On  large  fir,  spruce,  and  hemlock  stumps,  Mr.  Walder's  method  is 
to  bore  four  deep  holes  and  pour  an  equal  amount  of  nitric  and  of 
sulphuric  acid  into  each  hole.  The  holes  are  then  tightly  plugged. 
In  a  year  the  stump  is  permeated  with  the  acids  and  can  be  fired  in 
the  dry  season.  No  results  obtained  from  the  use  of  this  method 
are  given. 

A    STUMP-BURNING    MACHINE. 

A  machine  used  for  burning  stumps  consists  of  a  gasoline  engine, 
a  blower,  a  distributer,  and  several  lengths  of  hose  with  short  lengths 
of  pipe  on  one  end. 

The  air  from  the  blower  is  divided  into  twelve  or  sixteen  equal 
parts  by  the  distributer,  to  which  are  connected  the  several  lengths 
of  hose,  some  of  which  are  long  and  some  short. 

A  hole  is  bored  in  the  stump  at  the  ground  line  or,  better  still,  the 
earth  is  dug  awav  and  the  hole  bored  from  (>  to  12  inches  below  the 
surface. 

A  piece  of  iron  heated  to  a  white  heat  is  then  dropped  into  the 
hole  and  a  blast  of  air  turned  upon  it  l>\  inserting  a  pipe  attached 
to  the  end  of  the  hose  which  is  of  less  diameter  than  the  hole  bored 
in  the  slump.  The  large  diameter  of  the  hole  permits  the  gases  to 
escape. 

As  many  stumps  can  he  burned  at  the  same  lime  as  there  are 
lengths  of  hose,  or  two  or  more  lines  of  hose  can  he  used  on  the  same 
s  t  ump . 

This  machine  is  still  in  the  experimental  stage.  A  few  have  been 
successful  in  operating  it,  while  others  have  pronounced  it  a  failure, 
ft  isthoiight  that  if  this  machine  is  perfected  it  will  he  a  cheap  and 
economical  met  hod  of  destroj  ing  stumps. 


COST  OF  CLEARING    LOGGED-OF]     LAND    FOB    FARMING.  13 

Mr.  K.  I .  Mead,  of  Tacoma,  Wash.,  says  thai  by  using  this  machine 
he  has  been  able  to  do  heavj  clearing  for  $50  per  acre.  Mr.  J.  II. 
Davis,  of  Georgetown,  Wash.,  has  used  this  machine  in  clearing  16 
acres  that  averaged  10  stumps  per  acre  al  a  cosl  of  $65  per  acre. 

USE  OF  POWDER  IN  CLEARING  LOGGED-OFF  LAND. 

At  the  present  time  few  undertake  to  clear  even  a  small  tract  of 
land  without  the  use  of  powder,  and  in  the  hands  of  an  experienced 
man  powder  can  be  made  to  do  a  large  amounl  of  work  al  compara- 
tively small  expense. 

The  powder  in  general  use  al  the  presenl  time  is  known  as  stumping 
powder  and  is  pui  up  in  sticks  of  I  '.  by  8  inches,  about  65  of  which 
conic  in  a  box  of  50  pounds.  'Phis  powder  costs  al  the  presenl  retail 
price  $6.25  a  box;  in  ton  lots,  $5.25  a  box. 

'The  charge  of  powder  is  placed  as  nearly  as  possible  beneath  the 
eentef  of  the  stump.  The  powder  should  he  placed  on  the  hardpan 
if  the  soil  is  not  too  deep;  ot  herwise  it  is  place.  I  from  2  to  3  feet  he  low 
the  surface. 

To  get  the  besl  results  ilu-  sticks  are  removed  from  the  paper 
wrappers  and  packed  closely  together  in  the  hole  beneath  the  stump. 
This  can  not  be  done  in  wet  place-.  The  powder  works  best  when 
t  he  temperat  ure  is  about  70    V. 

This  powder  has  more  effect  when  the  soil  is  saturated  with  water. 
The  wrappers  are  allowed  to  remain  upon  the  sticks  in  wet   places. 

The  following  charges  will  be  found  effective  under  average  ground 
conditions  and  where  using  stump  pullers  or  blocks  and  teams: 

Diameter  of  stumps  in  inches L8        iM        30        36         18        60        72 

Sticksol   powder 5  7         L0        20        35        50        65 

Where  the  .-oil  is  sandy  and  loose  it  will  require  one-half  more 
powder  for  t  he  same  size  stump. 

A.s  this  powder  doe-  not  work  well  at  a  temperature  below  70  i 
it  is  necessary  when  using  it  in  cold  weather  to  keep  il  warm  b\  some 
method.  Some  powder  men  bury  the  boxes  in  a  manure  pile;  others 
lay  it  upon  a  perforated  rack  over  boiling  water.  As  in  either  of 
these  methods  the  powder  becomes  more  or  less  damp  from  the  vapor 
it  is  thought  that  when  dry  heat  i-  applied  better  results  are  obtained. 

Charles  Shirk,  of  Bellingham,  Wash.,  ha-  used  a  box  similar  to  the 
one  -how n  in  the  illustration  (fig.  9)  for  heating  powder  and  thinks  his 
i-  the  best  method  to  use  foj  this  purpose.  This  box  is  built  upon  a 
-led  and  has  a  (in  pari  it  ion.  on  one  side  of  which  is  placed  a  small  air- 
tight heating  stove,  while  on  the  other  are  shelves  of  wire  screen  on 
which  the  -tick-  of  powder  are  looseb  laid.  The  box  shown  in  the 
illustration  will  hold  100  pounds  of  powder,  and  it  ma\  be  kepi  at  i  he 
desired  temperature  in  the  coldest  weather. 


14 


COST   OF   CLEARING    LOGGED-OFF   LAND    FOE    FARMING. 


It  is  well  to  employ  a  powder  man  who  has  had  experience  in  blowing 
out  stumps,  as  the  saving  in  powder  alone  will  more  than  pay  his  wages. 


^    COMPARTMENT  b 
FOR  \ 

A/R   T/6HT       r\ 

Stove        > 


2  x-6'' 


*~L/D 


<0  fW/ff£  SCR>££A/, 


to"-^ 


2 '  *4 


Fig   o      B0  ,  for  |  .-< •  t >i ii  •  powdi  r  warm 


The  following  statement  of  stumping  done  by  the  Narrows  hand 
Company,  of  Tacoma,  Wash.,  for  six  months  in  L907  will  give  an 
idea  of  the  cost  of  the  different  items  of  material  used  and  the  labor 
i:i  blasting  stumps. 

Table  II.      Cost  of  removing  fr  stumps  from  1  foot  to  \  feet  in  diameter  from  J 20  acres 

cfland  in  1907. 


Month. 

Powder. 

Fuse. 

Caps. 

Stumps. 

Labor. 

Pounds. 
13.  7(H) 
1 .  750 
2,750 
ISO 
1 ,  250 
2,350 

Ful. 

10, 100 
2,050 
2,  71)0 
2,  150 
1.000 
3,100 

X ii  mln  r. 
2,400 
400 
700 
500 
300 
80Q 

\  a  in  in  r. 
2, 135 

.'.I!' 

445 
383 
238 
378 

Hours. 
2,380 
260 
324 
324 
198 
283 

Dollars. 
650  00 



87.00 

114.90 

126.37 

77.  53 

114.97 

Tol  il 

23,750 
6.  22 

1!<.  7(. 

21,100 
5.52 
2.  37 

5.100 
1 .  33 
.87 

3.S18 

3, 709 
0.987 

1,170.77 

0  31  |  | 

The  average  cost  of  the  removal  of  each  stum))  is  shown  below: 


Powder.       Fuse. 

Calis. 

Labor. 

Dotal. 

Cents.         Cents. 
49.76            2.37 

i  i  nts 
0.87 

i 1  nts.         i 
30.66           83  66 

The  average  cost  of  the  materials  used  was  as  follows:  Powder. 
per  pound,  8  cents;  fuse,  per  LOO  feet,  43  cents;  caps,  per  LOO,  65  cents. 

COST  OF  VARIOUS  METHODS  OF  CLEARING  LAND. 

It  has  been  a  difficull  matter  to  get  definite  figures  on  the  COS*  of 
clearing  land  by  the  different  methods  in  use,  chiefly  because  the  fanners 
or  those  who  have  cleared  land  have  not  kept  detailed  records.  Often 
the  cost  can  not  be  determined  because  included  with  other  work. 


COST    Of    CLEARING    LOGGED-OFF    LAND    FOB    FARMING. 


L5 


The  following  table  shows  the  cosl  given  1>\  the  owner  or  contractor 
of  clearing  land  by  the  various  methods  described;  also  the  quantity 
of  powder  used,  the  Kind  of  land  cleared,  etc.: 

Table    Ml       Cost  i  I  by  various  methods. 


Owner. 


Method 


I  XT  ()/ 


Unci  of  land. 


i  has.  Rhi  Inl 

.  i  Sei    i  a 

ickson 

Do 

B    i     Ulison 

I', it  \\  est  Lumber  (  o. 

I.  ind  i  o 

Vjcadla  UtI(     \ 


I .  I :    I .  i  r  k  i  n 

I  itto  w  1 

C  M.  Quasi  . 
i  .      on.. 

Mi     Willis 

m    Doran.... 

Do  

I..  Ecknian 

B.  B.  I.  Co     

Do 

Lake  \\  tiatcoi 

Ed    B  ii. i. hi  do. . . 

m  Bros Keninore 


\    I     Rj  ther. ...  Rl  h  Powder    and    stump 

pull.  I 

ii.'.  w  ash.  in 

do     do 

Powdei 

do     Powdei   ni'i  burning.. 

Tacoma,  Wash. . . .  Powdi  i 

Midland,  Wash  Donke}  engine 

.  .do 

. . .  .do .do 

Spokane,  Wash .. .  Donkey    engine    and 

stump  pull,  a 
Lake  Bay,  Wash..  Donke)  engini 

Mary svi lie,  Wash.  do 

Getchell,  Wash  ...do 

Stanwood    Wash  .do 

Mounl  Vernon,  Wash. do 

do     do 

Bow,  Wash  .    .  'in 

do  .do 

Mount  \  ii  in .u  

Bellingham,  Wash do 

do     

do do 

do 

Wash do 


It    isiiui.  ..i     Kail  Citj .  w     b 

Do  lo     

Robt,  Chabol         Moclips,  \\ 

i     \i  inkowski  Aberdeen,  V 
w 


...do 

I '  i  >  w  der  and  ' 
Powder  and  grubbing. 

do  . 

Q.  II   ,  .do Donkey  engine 

Do  do      do 

[■'..  S.  \\i'\   .  Buna,  Vi     h  Powder  and  grubbing. 

Do  i  .  .do  . 

I         Dunl     '  .do do 

do  .do 

do i  Irubbing  . . . 

.dn Grubbing  and  team.. 

•  >i\  mpi  i   Wash  I  lonkej  engine 

■   '    I   I      I  do Powder    and     slump 

pulli 
M.  II.  Tin.".                           '  entralia,  Wash.  do 

J.H.Davis..  G getown,  Wash...     sunup  burning    ma- 

chine. 
\\ .  it    Uderman.  Tillamook,  Oreg  Donkey  engine 

Chrintensen  ,v    o  do        .  .do 

Bagley  w  ood\  llle,  <  ire  i  .  ..do 

\l.  M  if  r,  .  is.,   ton,  Wash  i 

Do.  do. . .  do 


i  >u  ner 


1  powder. 


i 

■  i 


\    l 

Rheinhart. . 

.1.  Burg 

\.    .1.     Kill'    .Mill 

I),. 

B,  I  .   Ulison 

i  Lumber  Co 


i  land. 
Low  land. 


35 

Bench  land. 

10 

1  ligh  land. 

2 

•> 

Do. 

in 

Do 

100 

Do. 

■". 

Do. 

000 

Do. 

50 

liifdi  and  low  land 

5 

i  md. 

7 

Low  land. 

12 

Do. 

L'3 

\  alle;  1 

20 

Do. 

12 

Do. 

24 

Do 

12 

Do. 

20 

ili^h  land. 

(17 

Do. 

in 

land. 

20 

Valley  land. 

In 

Bench  hind. 

in 

i>o 

4 

Bench  - 

11) 

Do. 

7(111 

\  allej  hmd. 

land. 

II 

land. 

4 

High  land. 

.*, 

land. 

1 

Do. 

.", 

Do. 

Valley  land. 

High  : 

' 

land. 

High  land. 

Do. 

9 

Vallev  land. 

1 

Do 

Sll 

llcnrli  land. 

2 

17 

Do. 

350 


.'" 


7.  .Vi  I 


Vrcad 

1,  E.  Larkin. 

Otto  W  a 

('.  II    Ql 

I      loll' 

1.7(1(1 

Mi.i lolvin. . 

Mr.  \\ 

II . . . 

man. 


o.oo 

125.00 
120.00 
100.00 

218  i" 
75  to  l_'."> 

UC.  IKI 

I 


Many  large  cedar  stumps. 
ict. 

Own  i 
■  ict. 

ibing  and  leveling  included. 

.  cleared  fur 
ire;  stumps  not  rei 
■ts  stump    pei 
Light  clearing 

Stumps  onlj 
ere. 

ring. 

■.  ;  15  stump 

l 

Vpproximated ;  spruce  stu 


16  CQST    OF   CLEARING    LOGGED-OFF    LAND    FOR    FABMING. 

Table  III. — Cost  of  clearing  land  by  various  methods — Continued. 


i  iwner 


Poundsoi    Cost  ol 

powder.       labor. 


B 


15.  I.  Co 

Do 

Lake  Whatcom  Logging  Co.  - 

Ed.  Bardon 

Peterson  Bros 

R.  Kinnear 

Do     

Robt.  Chabol 

( ',.  Mankowski 

W.  G.  Hopkins 

Do 

E.  S.   Vvev... 

Do..;. 

F.  C.  Dunhan 

Do 

Wm.  Harding 

( ieo.  Simpson 

A.  S.  Caton 

Geo.  I'hler 

H.  IT.  Tillev 

J.  H.  Davis 

W.  15.  Alderman 

Chrintensen  &  Co 

Bagley  &  Streets 


M.  Harvey. 
Do...'.. 


Cost  per 
acre. 


Remarks. 


'« in 
3  sun 


$1,010.30 


400 

None. 


80  mi 


in. nun 

300 

4.1100 

None. 

-'.: 

100 
2,500 


205.00 


l«l.  00 


1.000 


S.V,.I)II 

(58.00 
123.00 

in i 

11.').  00 
100.00 
130  00 
150  00 

35;  ''ii 

30  00 
100  00 

43  1)0 
100  00 
Mm  no 
L38  mi 
125  mi 

■in  00 
125  00 

51 

■  in  mi 

65  00 
L25  no 

urn  00 

a  20  00 

150  00 

105  on 


28J  days'  time,  cleared  of  stumps  only. 
Light  clearing. 
Heavy  clearing. 
Approximated. 
Contract. 
Approximated. 

Do. 

i  Ireen  timber— hemlock,  fir.  spruce. 
Brush;  few  stumps. 

Vine,  maple,  and  cot  ton  wood. 

Second-growth  fir.  1'  to  3'. 

Large  fir  stumps. 

Approximated. 

Large  stumps  not  taken  out. 

Hem  y  clearing. 

Meadow;  cedar  and  fir  Stumps  only. 

40  stumps  per  acre. 

Spruce  stumps;  some  work  done  before. 
Spruce  stumps  only:  other  work  done. 
Wood  and  lumber  sold  from   this  tract:  0  0 
cords  wood.  SO  M  feet  b.  m.  lumber. 

U.  S.  magazine  site — 18"  below  surface. 


"  Ni  t . 

From  the  foregoing  table  of  the  cost  of  clearing  land  it  will  bo  soon 
that  it  is  only  very  rich  land,  or  that  which  is  near  the  centers  of  pop- 
ulation, that  will  at  the  present  time  pay  interest  on  the  capital 
invested  to  put  it  under  cultivation. 

Better  returns  from  other  forms  of  investment  have  kept  capitalists 
from  forming  companies  to  clear  these  logged-off  lands.  It  will  readily 
be  seen  that  this  would  require  a  large  capitalization,  as  the  average 
farmer  could  only  pay  for  the  clearing  of  his  land  in  small  installments. 

It  has  been  suggested  that  the  State  or  county  working  under  a 
law  similar  to  the  one  under  which  bonds  are  issued  for  draining  hud. 
whereby  a  part  of  the  bonds  and  the  interest  are  paid  each  year  by 
the  small  annual  payments  of  the  owners  benefited,  might  aid  in  this 
work  of  reclaiming  these  wastes. 

Where  there  tire  several  owners  of  land  in  the  same  vicinity  who 
desire  to  clear  hind  they  could  do  much  by  Forming  a  cooperative 
company  to  buy  machinery  and  powder  and  hire  the  experienced 
help  needed.  All  those  who  have  cleared  logged-off  land  are  united 
in  saying  that  there  is  a  great  deal  learned  in  connection  with  the 
first  tract  of  hind  cleared  and  are  convinced  that  they  could  clear  the 
second  tract  very  much  cheaper. 

Approved : 

James  Wilson, 

Si  iri  tary  <  f  Agricultun  . 

Washington,   D.  ('..  January  28,  mm). 


o 


